Coriander leaf, called cilantro in the Americas, is the fresh green of the plant that gives coriander seed. Bright, citrusy and loved across Asia and Latin America, it tastes of soap to a minority of people.
What it is¶
Coriander is a fast-growing annual in the Apiaceae, grown for two quite different ingredients: the fresh leaves and stalks, treated here, and the dried fruits sold as coriander seed, which taste of orange peel and warm spice rather than anything green. British and most Commonwealth English calls the leaf coriander; American English calls it cilantro, from the Spanish, and reserves "coriander" for the seed. Other names include dhania (India), pak chi (Thailand) and Chinese parsley.
The lower leaves are broad and lobed, rather like flat-leaf parsley; as the plant prepares to flower, the upper leaves become fine and feathery and less useful. The roots, sold still attached in Thai shops, are prized in Thai cooking.
Origins and history¶
Coriander is among the oldest documented herbs. Its fruits have been recovered from archaeological sites in the Near East, and it was found among the grave goods in Tutankhamun's tomb. It appears in Egyptian, Greek and Roman writings, and the Romans carried it across Europe. The Greek name koriannon is traditionally connected with koris, "bedbug", supposedly for the smell of the unripe plant — a derivation that is plausible but not certain.
In medieval and later European cooking the seed mattered far more than the leaf, which largely fell out of use in northern Europe. The leaf went east and west instead: into Indian, Southeast Asian and Chinese cooking, and, after the Spanish conquest, into Mexico and South America, where it became central to fresh salsas. It returned to British kitchens with South Asian and later Thai and Mexican food in the twentieth century.
Flavour and aroma¶
To most people, coriander leaf is bright, citrusy and green, with a peppery bite and a lingering, slightly musky note. The aroma comes largely from long-chain aldehydes, such as (E)-2-decenal, which are also found in soaps and in some insects — hence the other experience.
For a significant minority, coriander tastes unmistakably of soap or crushed bugs. Surveys suggest it is more common among people of European and East Asian descent than among those from South Asia or Latin America, and genetic studies have linked it to variation near a smell-receptor gene, OR6A2, that responds to those aldehydes. Genes are only part of the story: familiarity plays a role, and some people learn to like it. See why-coriander-tastes-of-soap.
In the kitchen¶
Coriander is mainly used raw or added at the very last moment; its aroma fades fast with heat. The stalks have as much flavour as the leaves and can be finely chopped with them.
- Mexico and Latin America: salsa fresca (pico de gallo), guacamole, tacos, ceviche, Peruvian green sauces. See mexican-cuisine.
- India: stirred through dal and curries at the end, and blended into green chutney with chilli, lime and mint.
- Thailand: the pounded roots go into curry pastes and marinades with garlic and pepper; leaves top soups, salads and noodle dishes.
- Vietnam: part of the herb plate for pho and fresh rolls.
- Middle East and North Africa: Yemeni zhoug, Moroccan chermoula, Egyptian molokhia and green tahini.
💡 Chop and wash
Coriander bunches are often gritty. Wash in a bowl of cold water, lift out, and dry thoroughly in a salad spinner before chopping; wet leaves bruise into a dark paste.
Buying and storing¶
Choose bright, unwilted bunches with no slimy or yellow leaves; bunches with roots attached keep longest. Stand in a jar of water in the fridge with a bag over the top, changing the water every couple of days, or wrap in slightly damp paper towel in a box. Expect four days to a week. Dried coriander leaf is almost flavourless. Chopped leaves frozen in a little oil or water are fine for curries and soups, though not for garnishing.
Substitutes¶
For people who dislike it, flat-leaf parsley with a little lime zest gives freshness and colour; a little mint or basil also works in salsas and Asian salads. For those who love it, culantro and Vietnamese coriander give related flavours, and culantro is stronger still.
Pairs well with¶
Lime, chilli, garlic, ginger, cumin, avocado, tomato, onion, coconut milk, fish sauce, yoghurt, lentils, fish, mint, Thai basil and coriander seed.
Growing your own¶
Coriander is quick but temperamental. It bolts — runs to flower and seed — in heat, drought and long days, so the most productive sowings in Britain are in spring (March–May) and late summer (August–September), in light shade in the hottest months. Sow direct where it is to grow, about 1 cm deep; it dislikes transplanting, and root disturbance triggers bolting. Keep it well watered.
Sow a short row every three or four weeks for a steady supply, and choose leaf varieties sold as slow-bolting. Once plants do flower, all is not lost: the green seeds are delicious, and the ripe brown seeds can be dried as coriander seed or saved for sowing.